Disturbing Behavior 2: Requiem to Perfection
by SuccubusKing
Summary: Disturbing Behavior, a sequel for the modern era. Six years ago a major set of events shook Cradle Bay and its residents. Yet for some, time never stops. Fade in...Music cue for "Be the Ball." "Achieve...Greater...Better...Faster...You will Achieve Greatness. You are unstoppable, you are chosen. This is your world. Take everything." But don't get caught up in disturbing behavior.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Reflections**

Six years have passed since the Cradle Bay events. Yet for some, time never stops as though it occurred just yesterday. Fade in...Music cues with "Be the Ball." "Achieve...Greater...You will Achieve Greatness. You are unstoppable, you are chosen. This is your world...Take everything."

~ City backdrop fades into view as Sky ripples with a cold weather effect in uptown Chicago, Illisnois. ~

The sun bakes down on a busy commercial building right outside the industrial district. There, two sharp dressed men with briefcases pull into the side driveway and park. They step out of the car. You can see they are very tidy, with hair slickly combed back and an austere almost excited gesture across their face. The first man enters the main floor following the other down a large dark hallway to an office.

"SENIOR PROFESSOR OF SCIENCE, Doctor Meryl Walters." Reads the sign on the front door. A well dressed woman in professional attire sits at the seat studying a trifold of papers. One of them catches the eye of the first man as he walks in the office.

"Doctor Walters, I had been expecting to meet you here earlier." He glances at his watch. "You were supposed to be in the office thirty minutes ago. I believe these will be of supreme interest to you." The second man nods towards the first, as he opens a jet-black cross painted suitcase on the desk.

"Ahhh yes. I see. This is very interesting...These files..Where did you get them, Thomas?" Dr Walters dryly replies.

"From a vacant file cabinet in the late Dr. Caldicott's office. I thought you might receive some heightened interest in them given your recent project." the man suggested.

The man's name was Thomas Drake, Lieutenant Colonel for the United States Air Force. His commanding officer was Admiral Richard D. Kormander a brigadier who started out teaching wayward students at the University of Warchester, before he officially started up the division for Applied Sciences under the Air Force in 1961.

"Thomas, shall we show them the entire file?" the other man insisted. The other man's name was Gen. Marvin Lionel Strick, a presumed to be multi-generational cousin of the infamous Gavin Strick who had disappeared more than six years ago. "I feel quite strongly it would help the professor make up her mind." Marvin reinforced.

Thomas opens the other end of the briefcase and pulls out a cassette tape. He dryly inserts it into the cassette player and plays back the message in its entirety.

((Flashback...Six Years Ago.)) " _I told you, the prototype is not ready yet. When it is, the board will know about it." John Yates: "And what of the side effects? I feel we must take this project with extra caution. I plan to seize the responsibility away from you by tomorrow. Dr. Caldicott, they've lost patience with you. Frankly after the incident with your daughter...I'm surprised that anyone trusts you to finish the agreed project."_

 _"They are MY children!" Calidcott violently snapped. "I will NOT let anyone take them from me!" a loud crash is heard as a lamp goes flying against the wall. "Get out, GET OUT NOW! Cradle Bay will be a role model!"_

 _Dr John Yates: "Dr. Caldicott, with due respect I believe you've done enough damage to our reputation. The division of Applied Sciences at Cambridge doesn't take kindly to an amateur who goes out of his way to take credit for a serum that isn't even_ _ **fully developed yet**_ _."_

 _Dr. Yates: "If you will not hand the formula over to us today, you can expect a court order tomorrow. (Pause) I'll give you less than three hours to think about it."_

 _Caldicott reached for a gun and aimed it at Yates. ((crackling sound begins)) Suddenly a loud crash is heard. Yates is thrown from the room and Caldicott is punched in the stomach by the associate to Dr. Yates, Martin Strong. Strong works for the U.S. Army Services division. Strong then destroys the gun and grabs a glass vial and microchip from Caldicott's locked office cabinet._

 _Yates fiddles with his glasses outside the office, frazzled by the whole event. He makes his way outside the corridor and down the hall staring grimly at the empty doors to the school exit. A shadowy figure appears right there at the cross-section. "Did you get it?" Yates hastily speaks._

 _"I got it, doctor. Relax, there are no more issues to take care of. Col. Drake will know what to do once we get this data back to headquarters. Besides, it doesn't matter what happens to these failed teenagers. The real prize is back in Cambridge. All we need is the time to perfect this formula for recruits. The CIA won't be able to stop banging our doors down for this stuff just for the hits."_

 _"Good." Yates dryly responded. "I also meant though, is the Cradle Bay operation neutralized?" "I want there to be absolutely no evidence tying them to us. Did you take care of it?"_

 _"I took care of it." Strong coldly responded. Two blocks north of where they stood lied Secretary Whittaker, assistant nurse for Cradle Bay High School who often ran errands for Caldicott. She was dead laying in a pool of blood. Clutched in her left hand was a Kodak camera. Three photos were displayed that had caught the interaction between Yates and Caldicott, all were destroyed. The "wonk" from Cambridge as they called him, had gotten away unannounced. But Strong didn't trust the camera or other evidence Whittaker had taken. So he went back, deleted the memory cards and melted the camera down in a furnace he alleges on the recording._

 _"I saw the photos she took, went out and melted the Camera in the furnace smelter. No one will ever find evidence of your visit, so I took extra caution and tossed morphine into Caldicott's glass. He won't remember anything and this incident will all be forgotten." Strong coldly indulged. "Good, that's the only way this works. I don't want anyone else from Cradle Bay following us. Shut down the Bishop Flats while you're at it Strong, destroy the project files and add all these fluffer documents to make it look like Caldicott's team has been really busy. That's an order."_

 _"Yes Sir!" Strong coldly replied. Gun fire was later heard on the tape making it sound as though at least two school cops were killed. The evidence assuming Strong is correct, was all destroyed._

Thomas leans forward and plays the second half of the tape. Dr. Walters stares at her office wall in silence, seemingly contemplating the new revelations. The gaze each one of them share begins to turn stern and unyielding as the tape plays forward.

"This recording was taken much later. We were checking the calendar to see when." Thomas coldly reassured.

'(( _Flashback)) "The chip is functioning properly..But what I do find is that excess stimulation to the pineal gland caused the dopamine levels to go through the roof." the Nurse speaks. "You're telling me that every time these kids get a hard-on they will beat someone with it." Caldicott dryly stated. "No,,Cut the cranium at the effect of it and we'll see what happens."Wha..Really." the Nurse says.."Cut the bruises out of the brain." Caldicott continued._

 _"_ _ **We're trying to determine the cause of her violent reaction. Now part of the treatment was designed to regulate neuro-cranialogic surges, to remove moments of arousal or emotional conflict..There appears to be an irregularity..A wildcard response."**_ _Caldicott announced._

 _"..What if this was to_ _ **compromise**_ _us, for the entire project?" Dr. Walters dryly replied. "We've mopped up the mess..There is_ _ **no threat**_ _of exposure. The treatment works..For the most part." Caldicott grimly responds. "Now every successive kid, we are getting closer...and closer to perfection. I got a couple of...tiny glitches to iron out and you'll have your prototype." Caldicott coldly continued. "After the years of trial and error...It got past the hurdles on my daughter's delinquent disorder didn't I.." "Last I heard actually doctor, your daughter had been placed in a psychiatric ward." Dr Walters grimly pointed out. "As I've said to everyone...My daughter is a leading Valedictorian at Stanford. Any rumors to the contrary are just that, rumors."_

 _"But if we_ _ **can't trust**_ _you, what makes you think we want to gamble on the current chip?" Dr Shu pointed out with acute frustration. "Even if the board finds out you told the truth about your daughter, the decision to take this any further lies at our sole discretion." Dr Shu pointed out. "You are_ _ **ordered**_ _to bring the recent chip upgrade by this man's office in one week. If you do not choose to follow through on your end of the bargain, we will send one of our men to assist you." Shu insisted. "Don't fail us any further Dr. Caldicott, I have a lot more than my career riding on this project." Dr. Walters dryly stated. "While the chip itself is expendable, our operation is not. Any failure on your part will reflect badly on our enterprise. You must realize I cannot allow any sort of fabrications or exaggerations of your product." Walters calmly stated. "It is an Applied Sciences prototype after all, Doctor, and they are property of its benefactors." Walters continued._

 _"And who might they be!?" Caldicott snapped. "The United States government, Dr. Caldicott. Under the auspices of Applied Sciences: A recently developed division under the U.S. Air Force." Dr. Walters dryly stated. "Your prototype is not just our product, it is our future doctor." Dr. Shu implicitly laid out. "If one or the other shall have its integrity impugned, then all of us will deal with the fallout. We will not allow that to happen." Shu continued. "Dr. Yates will be by your office again to check on progress. (Pause) Assure us you won't disappoint him yet again."_

 _"They are MY children!" Caldicott barked. "No Doctor, they are not. This science is not your pet project to toy with. It belongs to all of us...And we will ensure our investment is protected."_

 _Caldicott then storms out of the lab. He motions to his Nurse assistant as Caldicott asks coldly. "Did you catch all of that?!" The nurse looks at him with shaken eyes. "I Did, just as you instructed doctor." The recording comes to an abrupt end._

~ Fade to Present Day ~

"Damn. That sonofabitch lied to us..I should have known something was afoot the minute we stepped foot in their supplies cabinet." Dr. Walters dryly mused.

Meryl Walters was referring to the strange device lying on the floor in the supplies room of the hospital, that made a high-pitched whirring sound presumably used to kill rats. Though at the time they found these still barely functioning devices, they were covered in dust and being used elsewhere for some other agenda. Somehow, there was a lot of debris and plastic blue hospital bracelets lining the floor of the closet. On a few of them were etched words like "Believe in Yourself." and "Caldicott's Daughter is Perfect. No God can take away Perfection." to even the subliminal "Life is Filled With Music."

"He was hiding the experiments he ran through the Pscyhiatric Hospital...an insane asylum that Cradle Bay claims as its pride and joy. How stupid did Dr. Caldicott think some of his contributors were going to be?" Dr. Walters drly implied, emotionless. "The man was eccentric, insane even...It's why I warned you at the start, Thomas."

"There's something more that you're going to want to hear, Meryl. He didn't just record all of us. He made recordings of his own voice...Talking to himself about the research. Disclosing certain things that never should be spoken to anyone." Thomas paused. "There was much more to this than a few bad eggs...He was clearly insane. Listen to it and you'll see where we are coming from." Col. Drake dryly imposed.

 _'((Flashback)) "Log number 442...I'm here again at the facility. My daughter is seeming to react kindly to the new music. I just know pretty soon she will be able to surpass the honor graduates." (Pause) *Dr. Caldicott plugs in a large flat stereo amplifier and begins emitting high pitched shrieks. Another device is plugged in similar to the model used on E-RADicators that the janitors once employed for shock value. He turns the dial on full-tilt, suddenly a high-pitched electronic whirring sound begins buzzing at full speed._

 _*Ziiiiirt...Beep...Whiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrt.* The sound echoes across the room. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH" a high-pitch scream is heard._

 _"Meet...The Musical Little Creatures...That hide AmOng the Flowers!" Dr. Caldicott shouts._

"He video-taped these lessons, using his own camcorder. You should see this." Col. Drake pressed as he punched the play button on their DVD player. Marvin stares on.

 _"There you are, much better isn't it. How about the ALPHABET...Can you say it backwards with me? How about this." Caldicott speaks. "So much better...Soon you will Achieve. You Will Be. Be The Ball." *Whiiiiiiiiir Ziiirt...ZZZZT. Click.* A large electronic shockwave is sent through the girl's body. Suddenly sparks ignite in a fire that blazes in the room with a number of other inmates. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH" the girl screams. "AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" the scream continues. " Log Number 448...Subject is responding to the electronic neural stimulation well. She appears to be taking in the acoustic arousal quite handily, with just a few more adjustments here...I may be able to make her speak Cantonese. So many languages. Genius...Who's the Genius!? I am the Genius..! Me." Caldicott hurriedly explains._

 _"I kept the light sources minimal. The subject appears to not respond with the same volatility that way. High pitched screams activate the Chip's neuro-conductor core causing spontaneous combustion. I've tested it on a few of my children here. Over there, Robbie...His head finally combusted in a cloud of blood so we had to change the dose level. I've taken the liberty of reducing dopamine levels to the central cortex...This is working better as Bruno has proven." Caldicott shouts at the monitor. "Before this treatment, Bruno couldn't utter three words! Now he is singing songs and just got admitted to Broadway. As you can see, another perfect child is made."_

 _Caldicott bemused._

 _((A video monitor turns on.)) "I'm singing in the rain...Just singing in the rain. What a glorious feeling, happy again." Bruno repeats. He's locked in a cell in the second floor. Caldicott is then seen on the monitor entering the room, turning the buzzer to full blast. Bruno doesn't act surprised by stimulai, in fact he gets even more excited when the buzzer vibrates violently._

 _"I've finally perfected a new version of the chip. Bruno has taken to it quite well. This next update doesn't vibrate as fast as the last one. High-pitched sounds normally affect the neural-transmitter region of the brain, causing the chip to malfunction and finally.. explode. But this one is different. Bruno's still alive...Two weeks with my child here. No side effect!" Caldicott states._

 _"He seems happy now...Vibrant even. I later took him by the admissions office at Harvard and they accepted him right away. ((Caldicott holds up admissions certificate proudly.)) This next iteration is quite a vast improvement on earlier models...So perfect...My children...Each so perfect...Can't allow them to know what I have!" Caldicott smirks. The tape continues._

 _"Log 693...Bruno has been rising through the ranks at Harvard like the son I never had...Today he got administered into the United States Army Reserves. He runs faster, jumps higher and dodges easier than any recent upstart I've seen there. ((forward)) Ahhhh another problem...Bruno got into a fight with his superior officer which didn't want to offer him a bronze star. Today Bruno is in the hospital with a concussion. ((forward)) Chip is working remarkably well...Bruno's skeletal structure is entirely healed. The abrasions against his left skull cap have completely disappeared! ((forward)) Some startling news today, Bruno took over the entire unit in his Army Reserves training manual. ((forward)) Unexpected development...Bruno killed two plantoons he was commanded to oversee. I attended the funeral. Bruno then showed up with a semi-auto m4 rifle and shot everyone. Local police fired into the crowd, killing Bruno."_

 _"Log 872...The effects on Ms. Caldicott have been tremendous! She is functioning normal again. Recent tinkering with the Chip has made her much more aware of her surroundings. Now she screams when she's happy. screams when she's sad. *BZZZT* Loud sounds don't affect the acoustic volume levels of the corresponding cranial nasal cavity. I have saved her." Caldicott announces. ((forward)) "The effect of the transmitters no longer impact my Chips..Another great report from the trenches! I inserted one into my Nurse and began other successive refinements. Shouting no longer bothers her, she excels in mathematics and has taken the honors award at the Smithsonian Institute. I'm pleased to say I'm going there to film her today. ((forward)) There she is...So magnificent! Just like all my children. Now that the experiment on the next upgrade has been a success." Caldicutt hissed. The Nurse is shown on screen led into the President of the Smithsonian's office. The president hands it to her, taking a photo for the press. The Nurse responds by asking why the President requested the press to leave. Then the Smithsonian's president leans in to kiss the Nurse, where she proceeds to shout "Who's office is this?" and "I won an award for my research. Why isn't it my name on the Smithsonian, instead of yours!?" Then come shouts for her to leave now, after of which the Nurse pulls a gun from under the desk: Where she aims and shoots him, then herself. "That was the last time we had to share our blessings together." Caldicott bemused. "But I feel like a real winner now...Surprisingly the chip has only gotten more effective with each test. This is Caldicott, reporting to you live..Signing off." Dr. Caldicott smugly stated._

Dr. Walters cleared her throat as the tape came to an end. "It's clear that Caldicott, he was a mistake. He was a threat to this program who had to be neutralized." Walters stated. "But overall, he was an invaluable asset to the future of this operation." Walters continued speaking from behind her tall black steel desk. "Did you recover the files?" she asked the two men as she grabbed the video tape.

"As I told you earlier, we recovered every file Caldicott was working on in regards to the newer models of the chip. His body was fished out of Lake Superior several years ago. There was no research on him. All we could locate is the files on this disk." Col. Thomas Drake dryly pointed out. "None of them are more recent than six years ago."

"And? What, did you not get the blueprint?" Meryl dryly retorted. "No, we got the full schematic. Our technican Bradley is working on it as we speak." Col. Drake replied. "The asylum didn't have much. Most of his work is destroyed, and the daughter still lives there in a corner cell with padded walls." he paused. " **But it did have this**." Col. Drake coldly insists. "This is another tape? What is it of?" Meryl said with contempt.

"Another experiment, we think that either went bad or didn't finish." Col. Drake insists.

He plays the tape, and on it Caldicott can be seen with a young-man strapped to a chair.

 _(scene play) "_ _ **Yes Stephen, it will be over.**_ _You are going to be among our finest students soon. Now just relax." Caldicott muses. "Shut up.." Steve speaks. The whole scene then shows the boy break out of his restraints, killing two guards as he escapes._

Meryl stares at the screen with renewed interest. "Who is he?" Dr. Walters dryly announces. "That is **Steve Clark** , a local kid during the time of the Cradle Bay incident. We think he might be a possible witness...a loose end that needs to be tied up." Dr. Walters then states "So he's the Cradle Bay guy...Keep a close eye on him." Meryl bemuses. "And what about the newest chip Thomas? Are we ready for field testing?" Dr. Walters dryly continues.

"We're already ahead of you there, Professor Walters." Marvin Strick retorts. "I've been silent while I watched as you saw the tapes. Ms. Walters, meet Terrence O'Grady. First Officer of the United States ROTC for Ground combat. He's volunteered for the recruitment exercise. This will put our officers on the map beyond any steroid on the market." Marvin states. After a moment Dr. Walters responded: "That is what I wanted to hear. Development of army assets and cadets are our top priority at Applied Sciences. Bring the subject in, and have him secured in the chair immediately." Walters insisted.

"I thought you were never going to ask. (Pause) Bring First Officer O'Grady in and suit him up. (He motions to the officer appearing by the door.) Martin Strong, take the recordings Caldicott made of himself and destroy it all. Wipe the hard drives and leave no traces of evidence." Colonel Thomas Drake states. "Report back to Dr. Yates that nothing is out of the ordinary...All facets of the operation are proceeding as planned." Thomas continued. "Yes Sir!" Martin Strong replies, as he exits to carry out his orders.

Dr. Meryl Walters enters the end of a long dark laboratory. Officer O'Grady fills out the lines of paper work talking to the receptionist as he goes. "What I heard them say, is this is going to make me super fast to pass the entrance exam. I also heard them say I'd be able to talk twice as fast at bars, pick up more girls while I'm out and pass every single test-qualifier for driving attack choppers that the ROTC can throw at me!" O'Grady snapped with excitement. "Oh it will do that, and much more." the receptionist smiled as she filed away the paperwork.

Marvin Strick stroked his chin as he looked on in amazement, intrigued by what this would mean for future army reserve units. Two lab assistants strap O'Grady to the chair with steel restraints and take a needle to his neck. "What's this!? I wasn't told about any of these here outliers..." O'Grady stated. "It's in the fine print. You will feel brand new, like a whole new man once we're done." Dr. Yates stated with a sly grimace on his face. "Trust me on this." Dr. Walters said. "What you're going to be able to do, will make every officer in a 5 mile radius blush with envy." she continued.

A large hydraulic circular saw begins cutting away part of O'Grady's skull. As Dr. John Yates stares at the monitor screens, a shrill set of screams can be heard. The new chip is inserted into O'Grady as the theme turns to "Believe...Be...Achieve...Greater...Be The Greatest. Be The Ball." Colonel Drake looks over the room as a smile creeps on his face. Every officer in _**his**_ program will be the best the force has to offer, that's all she wrote.


	2. Chapter 2: Pathways

**Chapter 2: Pathways** __

~ City of Chicago, southside suburbia. Modern day off the corner of main street and rembrandt drive. In the northern part of suburbia is the section of inner-city schools.~

At this school, troubled youth and gangs convene in the hall just outside class. Professor Gavin Strick takes his ruler and walks to the front of the room. One of the students, Coby, shouts to others like Henry and Mason that he has some drugs to sell. Gavin strides to the front of the room, asking Coby to be rushed outside for a face-off.

"Students, there are a few rules in our class. (Pause) One of the key ones is no drugs are allowed under any circumstances. Like I say, to learn the higher ways to achieve acclaim in life is to also learn how to avoid its pitfalls. Its blemishes, you could say. I know a lot of you say drugs are fun, that Marijuana is legal. But in my class kids, you only get to do what I see is best for you. And so there will be no substances, no talking out of turn and no running in the halls." Gavin Strick states.

"You aren't here to joyride, boys and girls. You're here to learn. At an institute for Higher Learning. Students, welcome to your Institute of Higher Learning. I'm here to show you how to be Bold, how to Achieve and how to take Charge of your life. Wouldn't you like that more than anything?" Strick insists.

"Well yeah, sure I guess teach...But we also want to blow some weed and smoke a bowl! We got no cares about this stuff, it's not like we're going to Harvard or anything..." the student Raphael explains. "Yeah teach, lay off on the wizz bleach. I ain't here to be Einstein or nothin'!" Jananae shouts. "There's no room for team without my brothas.." says AJ the student in the back. A few balls of paper are crumpled up and tossed at their teacher from across the room.

"Students, when I'm through with you all of you will have it **drilled** into you that, you are beyond Einstein. Now, who here can tell me who wrote the First Theory of Evolution in North America? Remember children, our time together is my time. Therefore every minute we spend is a precious thing; it's not to be wasted. You can't trivialize Higher Leraning. I'm not here to be your friend. I'm here to make you into modern role-models for a future society of world believers." Strick insisted. "To Believe is all you need to succeed. And Role-Models is exactly what you shall be!" he chided.

Students boo and heckle Professor Strick as he repeats the Allegory of Plato. "Remember to study every part of your SAT tonight, so you don't miss Tony Robbins who will be speaking at our class reunion one week from this friday." Gavin insisted.

"We will all Overcome...And together, we will be better. Better at Sports than the rest! Better at play than your comrades. Better at War. These are all things which define us, which make us who we are. Act like it." Professor Strick coldly states.

~ Fade in to Chicago business district. Steve Clark and Rachel Wagner can be seen sitting down on a park bench outside the local Pizza shop. The day is mid-day, and the City of Chicago is rife with summer heat and hot-dog sellers. There is not a single minute that the glass doesn't shine with the wet gloss of summer rain in your face.~

"Steve, I've got to go to work tonight..I don't think I can.." Rachel cooly stated.

"Then just come with me after work, the fair is open until twelve. It's not like you have somewhere else to be, right? Besides, that dream I had again...I just don't know.." Steve said with an unassuring sigh.

"Steve when are you going to get, the dream you had where we shot Gavin never happened. It's all in your head. Look, I don't know what really happened..." Rachel snapped back.

"You know, I mean, it was a long time ago...Six or so years ago. Anything could have happened to Gavin, but we sure don't know if he is dead or not." Rachel stated.

"Well we sure don't know if he's alive, either. Remember what I said about Allen...and after what happened to Allen and Abbey...I just can't shake the feeling." Steve said.

"Well if he was dead, we'd know it by now. ((Rachel eats her hotdog)) Because he'd never let us hear the end of it, if he actually got out of a place like that!" Rachel stated.

"I don't know, he's not himself...Right?" Steve said concerned.

"Maybe something like that, but I just doubt it. So will you drop me off at work?" Rachel said unphased.

"How could you work at a place like Wal-mart after all we went through? Why not take that secretary job and be a club DJ for a while, Rachel? I just...Don't get this." Steve stated with a cold stare.

"It's only temporary, besides I'm not training to be a greeter or anything." Rachel said as she chuckled over the Chicago air.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Steve's sister spoke as she approached from the south sidewalk.

"Hi Lindsay, how are you?" Rachel said with a surprise look.

"Hey Lindsay." Steve remarked.

"I'm doing good! Caleb and I were just heading over to the arcades. UV is going over there too. Something about, he wants to get out of his slump about Gavin." Lindsay said in a hasty reply.

"I think he's still bummed over Gavin's death or something." Lindsay remarked.

"We don't know if he's dead...I mean he could be. But none of us know, anyways." Rachel stated.

"I'm guessing even if he is dead, that something else about him will turn up. He always had that way of surprising all of us. Hope UV cheers up about all that.." Steve noted.

"Anyway, great to see you guys again! Have fun at the fair later tonight." Lindsay echoed as they walked the other way.

"Oh yea, I saw some guy in a blue jacket earlier. I don't think it was blue ribbon...but it freaked me out. It was at the mall on my way home from my work at the shoe shop." Lindsay stated.

"Really? That's weird, I mean...We don't ever see stuff like that here." Rachel replied.

"Steve, maybe we should check it out...I don't get why things in this quiet town never seem to settle down!" Rachel retorted.

"I'll check it out, since that's on the way to work anyhow. (Pause) Hey, this town was never quiet!" Steve chuckles. Rachel laughs as they both point out the absurdity.

"Well then...Off for a jaunt, shall we Stevie boy?" Rachel mused. "Off we go." Steve replied as they drove out of downtown towards Wal-mart.

"Ugggh...It is so late in the week for me. I don't think I can handle seeing one more shopper before I keel over." Rachel snarked.

"Don't worry babe, I'll rescue you early tonight. We can go check out my old haunt. Oh man...though does that bring back memories. Allen...He used to be so happy and then.." Steve stated

"Then Chicago happened, Stevie...It's okay. That's life. We shouldn't frown on life, I mean we should drink it up ya' know every lil drop..." Rachel stated.

"You know whatimean, good or bad. Rich or poor. Fast or slow. That's what life's about. Caus' anything else, well then we start sounding like those ribbon wackos.." Rachel retorted.

"Well yea I got to agree with you there. (Chuckle) Anyway huh...There's no one at the mall? I'll drop by later after I drop you off. I think someone might've been here." Steve said with a hint of concern.

"Don't worry about it...Just don't be late picking me up!" Rachel snarked. Their car barreled down the road past two gas attendants who were busy smoking weed. Steve pulled into the driveway at Wal-mart as Rachel jumped out, slipping into her blue uniform and disappearing inside the store's mighty reaches. She had already slipped from view and was talking to her co-worker.

"Hi Laura, how are you?" Rachel stated.

"I'm doing great Rach, how's downtown Chicago treating you? When's the Cubs game anyway? I'm so baked I'd like to get out of here!" Laura laughs.

"Oh I'm doing great. Steve and I are probly going to the Fair later. But yeah the weather's getting really nice up here, I won't miss the next time Cubs appear." Rachel grins. "Shall I reserve you front row seats?" Rachel continues.

"Sure thing, that'd be great Rach. Jen's helping me out in the back. She might be down to joining us at the game just let me know the date so I can jot it down." Laura states.

"Oh yea, between you and me I don't think you need to be a greeter...you are our best cashier. For me, if our boss made you a greeter that would kill the mood. Don't let 'em do anything you don't fit the mold for Rachel and stay chill!" Laura said

"Of course, tell them I'm leaving early tonite. I got a date." Rachel stated.

"Oh and I'll be in to help you guys in a minute. Thanks a million Laura." Rachel stated.

~ Central expanse of the road. Steve Clark whizzes down the road away from his girlfriend's workplace and back to the mall. At the mall he notices a strange guy, stays a distance away and just watches what goes down.~

"Hey haven't I seen you before some-..." Steve starts to state but cuts himself off. A man wearing a dark blue-green jacket is standing about forty feet away shouting a slew of expletives.

"Hey man, this is the last club we go to tonight I promise. O'Grady, com'on man. It's the Mile High Club, the dancers here wear like one hundred inch stiletto heels. It is like the best dance club in downtown! You can't turn this down, not now man..." Danvers retorts from behind a thick jacket.

James Danvers is a United States ROTC Seargent, first officer division. An african-american six foot-five recruit, Danvers is friends with Terrence O'Grady who is a first officer recently recruited to the ROTC. But tonight, Danvers is noticing something odd about his buddy. He is not only not acting normal, he's not speaking about things the two share in common much either. Danvers can't help but figure something is up.

"C'mon man, just one club here. It will be our best night out yet my man." Danvers stated with conviction.

"Hey, hey hey...James what is with you? I already have it all. I am complete." Terrence remarks with a stiff eye.

"Listen up dawg, you haven't been acting the same all night...Tell me 'yall drink a spike? What the hell is wit' you lately?!" Danvers says.

"I'm doing great, James. I have more confidence that I will always know the answer before you than ever. I feel better than I ever have in my life! Lets hit the sports bar and throw back a cold one. Hooo hah...Woohoo!" Terrence replies.

"Lets do it..I feel like I could take on a whole plantoon myself right now! Ha ha ha!" Terrence snarkly replies.

Steve watches in astonishment as the two men enter the sports bar. He runs near the window, not saying a word and just glances through the glass to observe the scene. Danvers tells O'Grady that maybe he should lay off on the brew this time and they could take a rain-check when their brigade gets sent for tours. But O'Grady doesn't hear a word he says.

Inside, Terrence makes a bee-line for a pretty little waitress in blue near the bar entrance. He sees this guy at a table arm-wrestling and walks up, shoves him into his chair while he's laughing. He is now literally laughing out loud to the total amazement of his friend James Danvers who feels stunned at the scene unfolding.

"Hah hah? What's this, puny man? You think you can beat me?" Ratifka the Russian wrestler retorts. He is six foot nine, two-hundred fifty five pounds. By all accounts, anyone who would challenge him to a fight would be on suicide watch. But not tonight. For tonight, Terrence says the world belongs to him and so it is pulled his way.

"I'll challenge you, you fat bastard. That's right I'll beat you senseless. With one hand chained behind my back I'll beat your ass!" Terrence shouts.

"Hah, this a sick joke? I can't believe we even have this talk." Ratifka states.

Ratifka throws him into the bench, breaking part of the seats in two halves. Suddenly O'Grady's eyes light up that familiar eerie red glow. That glow is what Steve knows too well. The damn Disturbing Behavior serum is back...Could it actually be there's more?!

Terrence O'Grady reacts at lightning speed. He throws Ratifka across the room and breaks his face across the glass counter-top at the bar, an impossibility for someone facing such a disadvantage in strength and speed. Ratifka's immense frame hits the ground with a thud. Then O'Grady glares and bends Ratifka's hand backwards, breaking it as the Russian lets out screams of agony across the room.

Suddenly Ratifka throws a punch but O'Grady blocks it: with lightning reflexes. Steve has never witnessed anything like this. And like lifting a feather, O'Grady actually tosses the two hundred fifty-five pound giant into the ceiling of the bar. This is more stunning than a pay-per-view movie, but it's almost over. O'Grady gets slammed through the stall and lifts up a heavy wood chair breaking it over Ratifka's head. The giant goes down with a thud. Danvers looks on in horrifying shock. Then, O'Grady takes three bottles of whiskey and downs all of them one after the other. He grabs the waitress in the blue garb and positions her close to him.

"My my, I've never met someone like you before...Shall we go back to my room?" Shirlene responds.

"Your room?! Hell, I saw him first!" Melinda shouts. Suddenly the two girls start screaming at each other and one tosses a bottle of gin towards the other one's face.

"Ladies, forget it. There's plenty to go around... Ha ha ha ha ha!" O'Grady bellows.

Terrence O'Grady lifts both girls in his lap, stroking their long hair and literally scoots them all into a closely secluded hotel suite just two flights upstairs. He gets inside and slams the door pointing to his pal Danvers.

"Hey James, good boy. You stay outside so we're ready for the tryouts...Or just use the hole drilled in the door." O'Grady says.

"What the-hell...Is...Up...With YOU man!?" Danvers shouts. Outside the hotel he burns up a bottle of scotch and sits astounded at the night he just witnessed.

"Oh yea...YEA you're like a locomotive...Oh wooooow I want to go to all the tryouts to...Where are you guys getting toured out to? Paraguay? Or Spain?" Melinda shouts.

"Oh spain, spain I've always wanted to go to spain!" Shirlene screams. Then both of them shout "TAKE ME TO JAMAICA! Oh hell, just take me away!" the girls state.

"One at a time ladies, or...Make that, lets split the bill on me!" Terrence shouts.

Loud sounds are heard at the Hotel Suite throughout the whole night, and a sound of a gunshot. One of them shot a hole in the ceiling during their rendesvous, with O'Grady's colt forty-five. During this time James Danvers has left the hotel door. He has run down the hall, unsure of what has transpired or what kind of steroids his friend was put on. "No amount of the shots they give us causes this sort of bull-...What the hell is...What is this!?" Danvers shouts.

"It isn't steroids he was given. (Pause) I know this may sound real out there, but..." Steve remarks from the hallway.

Suddenly a gun-shot is heard in the lobby. O'Grady has shot the bartender in the back of the head, the cook and the cafe waiter before jetting out the door. No credible witnesses were there except for a local DJ. O'Grady's car is barreling down the highway at ninety miles an hour towards the ROTC training camp in Eastern Chicago Heights. He's got a loaded gun, a cell phone and has already shot the guard at the gate going in. Danvers looks at his watch realizing he's about to be late for the beginning of camp.

"Look man, I don't know what the hell happened to him but...Can this wait until later? I have to be at my ROTC sessions at least forty minutes ago." James remarks.

"It isn't steroids he was given...That is all I can tell you. Your friend he's...Not dead or zipped up on speed...But he's not all...There anymore, either. His emotions...Gone." Steve begins to explain.

"His inhibitions...Gone. His likes and dislikes, pretty much gone or muted. Now because of the amount of fluid in his system...All he can do is surpass everyone. Surpass everyone and anyone who matters...That is all he lives for now, is to achieve and expand beyond." Steve continues.

"He may have the best kept secret flowing inside his brain now...The power to exceed beyond anyone's wildest expectations, to achieve dreams we can't..." Steve said.

"..Or think we can't do, or believe we can't do ourselves. Things that were impossible. But the side effect in it all is, the more he wins...The more Disturbing..."

"The more Disturbing his behavior will get, because O'Grady is chipped." Steve says.

"What?! What the hell are you talking about man? I thought that's a myth...There ain't no doohikey in my friend's brain. They said they don't exist!" Officer James Danvers confidently rejected.

"Well that's the thing, James...They probably lied... _This is all part of it.."_ Steve warns

((The dream...Allen's death...Was it all in his head? What had the world come to?))

"It's some program they designed...And it's what I escaped from Cradle Bay to leave behind..This isn't grade school type science James, everything good in his life just got far far better...But as a side effect, his individuality has been wiped out..." Steve retorts.

"And like it or not, Officer Danvers...That's the consequences to Disturbing behavior.." Steve states in a confident tone.


	3. Chapter 3: Defiance

**Chapter 3: Defiance**

~ Fade in to a dusty highway coasting out of the state of Wyoming. A shiny and sleek car continues to speed along at a fast pace towards the horizon. On the radio, a loud song can be heard which adds more tension to the whole situation.~

 _"_ _ **And I still...Haven't found...What I'm looking for..**_

 _I_ _ **still...Haven't found...What I'm looking for..**_ _"_ U2 loudly blares on the radio.

In the driver's seat sits a young woman with bleach-blonde hair. Her appearance is that of someone who looks to have not slept in days. She swerves down the road, nervously biting her nails to the beat of the song.

"Stevie, is it possible I left something out?" Lorna Longley mutters to herself.

"Where or where could you be Stevie? ...What's wrong with me? Why do I feel this way, so driven to find you...My Stevie...Where are you...Where have you gone!?" Lorna remarks with concern.

Lorna is unable to think straight to properly reflect on the events she had escaped. Trent was dead, all her friends had driven off a cliff and Steve looked aloof. Lost even...Like he wasn't sure of himself. Somehow, Lorna had gotten out of Cradle Bay and while her eyes no longer glowed red with conviction...she had suffered a post-traumatic relapse into an earlier state of her self-image.

She was no longer certain of who she was, and why she had to find Steve.

"Where am I?" Lorna stated with forlorn abandon.

Images of prior events began to splinter across her mind like a thousand shards of glass. It was almost surreal. Then, without warning she recalled the event from the car crash more than ten years ago. She had been on the road in Cradle Bay that night.

 _((Flashback)) "Hey Chugg, you going to come to the prom next month? I heard Samantha's been really wanting to see you..." Lorna remarked._

 _"I'm not too worried about it. Sure, yeah I'll go. When has ol' Chugg never gone for a photo op." Chugg replied._

 _"Did you order chocolate or mocoa yogurt? I got it right here for ya babe." Chugg insisted._

 _"Yah, I mean it's just things have been kind of hard since moving here...My mom isn't talking to me much anymore after losing her designer job. I'll take a mocoa Chugg, what ya take me for?" Lorna vented._

 _"But anyway...Stuff's been changing." Lorna vented. "It'll get better Lorna...I promise ya." Chugg said with a shrug._

 _"Yah I mean, I suppose...What the hell!? Why's that light going off near the Yogurt Shoppe!?" Lorna shrieked in shock. "EDWARD!" Lorna shouted in alarm._

 _Just then, a large car carrying four teenagers pulled out of the Cradle Bay yogurt shoppe. The driver was drunk and on the passenger side was Edward Murrow. Ed had been Lorna's best friend since moving to the bay, they had always spent a lot of time together. Sometimes it bothered Chugg who was Lorna's boyfriend. But today was different. Lorna looked on in horror as the car the four were in burst into a ball of flames, right as it collided with an oldsmobile. The elderly woman inside also burst into flames creating one of the most ugly drunk-driving accidents in all of Cradle Bay's short history. Several teams came to put out the fires, but nobody survived that night. Lorna was shaken to the point of being in abject terror._

 _She looked over at Chugg with eyes that could only scream a desparate plea for help, and at the time he provided that. The car accident was an absolute disaster. Each of the bodies were disfigured beyond belief and Edward's funeral was shortly thereafter. The police in the town insisted they bring in someone smart who could get the drunk-driving under control, and ensure no further explosive incidents happened by instilling a curfew. What they didn't expect is that it would bring in Dr. Caldicott, a scientist with an impressive resume dating back to his time served at the University of New York. Shortly after Lorna saw everyone change, as the youth were brought into his program one by one. This morning was when Lorna and Chugg met at the Yogurt Shoppe, in memory of their four friends. It would be their final normal rendesvous._

 _"I know that you really liked him...Edward I mean." Chugg announced._

 _"He was my best friend..He was even teaching me German. I could never have passed the mid-term without his help! He showed me how to vivisect a frog. I can't believe he's gone.." Lorna stated with regret._

 _"We all liked him, Lorna..." Chugg sighed. "But sometimes...We have to move on and be bigger. My coach says it's called "Be the Ball." You know, I mean we all got to learn what we want." Chugg declared. "And then we got to go out and take it..I'm sorry for your loss." he paused._

 _"I'm sorry too..." Lorna said with a resigned look._

 _"I've been enrolled into Caldicott's program for enlightenment. Tomorrow, I'll be brand new. Just remember Lorna, everything we do..We do because of somebody." Chugg insisted._

 _"What happened to those guys who were killed that day, was due to somebody else. We can stop it once and for all now. All we got to do is follow what Caldicott tells us." Chugg shrugged._

 _"I don't get all this Chugg and I don't like fretting over Eddie like this...I just don't know.." Lorna sighed._

 _"You will in less than six hours, Lorna...You'll know then. We'll all be better for it." Chugg said._

~Revert to Present Day~

 _"We all got to learn what we want.."_ Chugg's words echoed in her mind.

"What did he mean by that...? What was he telling me?" Lorna wondered aloud.

The truth is always something more uncomfortable than the lie. The true nature of the situation being that Caldicott had brainwashed Chugg, and all of them to forget what emotion was so things like Edward simply no longer matter. His smiles were superficial parsings in the wind, his dreams were spent snowflakes and the idea that Lorna would travel to Europe to meet his aunt was just a fleeting make-believe dream. These things were unimportant in the larger scheme of Blue Ribbon based society.

Facing into that terrifying reality was too much for Lorna to bear, however. So she told herself lies, that it was just Chugg's way of creating a special surprise for her when he came back. And the more lies she told herself the better she felt about how the group had abandoned the truth, ending in Chugg's death.

"Oh, Edward...I remember what you told me. That if I could just be strong I'd find my place. I already know my place...It's with stevie. Oh stevie..." Lorna surmised.

"My stevie, my favorite favorite stevie where are you? I need you!" Lorna exclaimed at a picture of Steve Clark she petted on her dashboard. "I need you now..more than ever. Bad...Wrong...Am I wrong to feel this...I'm bad...I'm ashamed...I need you, steve." Lorna muttered into the wind. "And when I find you...Don't ever leave!" she shouted.

~ Revert to City of Chicago. Downtown, business district. The air is cold and damp and the hour is five a.m. eastern standard. Rachel Wagner paces back and forth. ~

"I can't believe this...Steve never showed up. What has he done, has he left me!?" Rachel wondered.

It was already early morning. By all accounts, Steve should have been there at least nine hours ago meeting her here at the Fair. The Fair Grounds were cold and damp and the gates were locked tight, with the front entrance closed. She had spent time on the Ferris Wheel earlier, just collecting each of her thoughts. Laura had dropped her off. They had a terrific conversation which left her wondering about Steve's behavior.

 _((Nine hours earlier.)) "I don't know Laura, I mean Jen just says she'll pick us all up in her car. If we go to the game I don't think we need your folks' car." Rachel remarked._

 _"Besides, it's been like four years since we had a Cubs game here...I can make sure my friends are taken care of. Sheesh." Rachel continued._

 _"Yea but Rach, I'm just sayin'. Chicago is a busy place and I was just pointing out I got a back-up plan for us if Jen doesn't pull it off. I'm sure she's coming." Laura insisted._

 _"It's just her friend I'm worried about, it's not like every week you have a fashion expo for versace." Laura piped up._

 _"Don't worry about it, I was all thinking the same. No matter what, I mean the stadium's not that far. We'll just ask ronni and take off a few hours early." Rachel stated with conviction._

 _"Besides, how else are we gonna get treated to apple fritters and cotton candy?" Rachel mused to her friend. "Front row tickets to the world series? I'm up for that...Lets make it a girl's night out!" Rachel teased._

 _"Haha yea, I mean it's our oyster!" Laura laughed. "Hey Rachel, isn't this the place where Steve was set to meet you?" Laura declared._

 _"Well...yeah it is. I don't get it either." Rachel replied._

The fair-grounds was empty besides nine or ten tourists. Steve was nowhere to be found and it was already half past eleven. The pair decided to stay there at the Ferris wheel for a few hours, taking turns as they rode it like a horse. Mostly they talked about shopping for clothes, but a few stories from Rachel's childhood broke up the scripted conversations. But when Laura left and went home, Rachel stayed behind.

All night she had waited, asking why didn't Steve call her? "Look at how late it is...He should have called by now! This is totally not like Steve. I wonder if he's in trouble?" Rachel repeated to herself. For now all she could do is ponder it in silence.

~ Fade to downtown Chicago, the South Heights by the freeway. Lindsay, Caleb and UV are standing in the arcade talking among themselves about the day to day. They've been there since seven o'clock the day before. ~

"And then, well like, he totally ran his skateboard off the rail in this half-pipe twist!" Lindsay said in a mocking manner.

"Haha, that is gnarly, gnarly as I've ever heard girl." Caleb said with a hazy grin. Caleb was a bright guy, a skater who was Lindsay's age from the neighboring Chinatown District. He wore a bright neon shirt, glow-puff glasses and a non-descript hoodie. His demeanor was that of someone who heavily attended Greenday concerts, and played a lot of Mortal Kombat for someone of a mixed spanish heritage. Right now Caleb's attention was on the arcade machine nearby.

"Oh...Damn that was such a cheap shot! Caleb, man oh man...Where'd you pick up the moves my liberace?" UV said with a shocked look. He could only stare in open defeat.

"Ha ha...Bro you need to polish up on your Mortal Kombat! I won, fair & square!" Caleb boasts. He collects another sixty-five big ones in his hand on the down-low.

Caleb has been rocking UV ever since the three started hanging out at the arcade. While Lindsay has been discussing the finer things from eleventh grade gymnastics, Caleb has been beating the dead horse about such things as the BMX finals. The big deal to all the skater afciandos of the area. There was always a competition being held.

BMX and things such as the Skatewalk championship, were the talk of the town to these guys. Everyone in the area including the hipsters and punks, were quite obssessed with both the lingo and the fashion. Caleb in particular had won a trophy.

"Niiiiice...I may not be Tony Hawk, but what can I say Linds...I got the moves!" Caleb excitedly exclaimed as he pulled off a three-sixty in ten seconds on the game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. UV was literally turning white in embarrassment.

"And anyway. so yeah...I totally think Gordan Barschier is going to win the City Skatewalk this year Caleb. The guy was like, four for five at the finals!" Lindsay blasted in the crowd.

"And he literally drew the whole crowd in that lolly...I mean did you see it, did you see the re-runs on MTV recently!? Better than "The Real World." " Lindsay exclaims.

"It's like, they know this stuff off the back of their hand..." she insisted.

"Well they do, but that sort don't embarrass me. If they want to challenge the king, they need to get in line." Caleb grimaced.

"To be honest I don't know if any of 'em could challenge you...After that move you pulled? Whooosh! Way over my head" Lindsay replied with veracity.

"Makes me remember the days Gavin and I would pull a few half-pipes on the Verve..." UV remarked sullenly. "Too bad he never got to see it on video.."

"I just wish he could have, I dunno...Said goodbye." UV remarked with remorse.

"Hey UV, don't worry about it...You guys are my best friends here! I'm tellin 'ya, if Gavin knew what you turned out to be UV he'd feel threatened by it..." Lindsay stated.

"Maybe even a little jealous because wow UV...you sure shocked us..." Lindsay boasts.

"You turned out to be quite a surprise I must admit, comrade...Good work." Caleb said.

"Night is young my liberace, the night is young..." UV chuckles as he collects a hundred. Scores for Tony Hawk Pro Skater display UV's win streak in the top seven.

"So why do ya think Gavin ever ran out on you, UV?" Caleb asked.

"I think he got sick of me crimping his style...After all, I'm like a diff. level of meth head and I don't totally bum out at the sight of a challenge.." UV cringed.

He remembered the night Gavin ran out on UV after he announced his intent to crash a Blue Ribbon stag party. It was too confrontational, wasn't Gavin's style. But it ended with the entire party being closed down and moved six miles north..so UV was no stranger to controversy. This was before Dr. Caldicott even became a household name.

"So you don't think you'll ever forget..." Lindsay chimed in.

"Girly, there's no face I forget...And no deed that gets to go un-recognized...either." UV says with a grimace.

"(Chuckle) Let's hope Gavin appreciates your morbid humor too!" Caleb snarks.

~ Sky fades to dark. It is five o'clock in the morning. Chicago Eastern Heights are rife with loud music and rifle fire across the drenched black sky. Inside the ROTC training camp for Chicago East, things have recently been off to a rocking start. ~

Two large guards stand at the perimeter fence as Sgt. James Danver's car barrels into the camp. One of the guards is on the tower looking out over the tryouts region. Three to five army seargents are running drills with various cadets over the tires.

First Officer O'Grady has shuffled inward out to the crowd. He managed to sneak by security, shooting one guard in the head. Another had looked at him the wrong way as he ran by the cameras, so he broke his neck like a twig. Then O'Grady went in the base's communications room and wiped out the camera feed. He was already deep inside the base now, studying for the entrance exam.

Terrence O'Grady was shocked at how easy it was to pass the standardized test. He flew past his trials on the rope bridge with flying colors. Now they were getting ready for the tire obstacle course, which would have him dodging and weaving gunfire. He glanced towards an unexpected audience in the guest's awning about three flights to the left. Melinda and her friends were there. Even a number of his best friends from the Shonshanki grill were there, as was a sharply dressed man in an army uniform.

O'Grady couldn't help but smirk. His moment had arrived, and all eyes were on him. One of the men in the guest's awning was taking photos of him. It appeared to be the one in the army uniform. This was all a part of some test, at least that is what gave O'Grady the confidence to smile for the camera. The man continued to zoom in close.

Mr. Strong snapped pictures of the ROTC training with a casual grin. He was enjoying this part of the assignment more than usual.

"Yes sir, that's correct. He is in our sights." Martin Strong replied. "The prototype appears to be working just fine-That is correct, sir. I will document the results." Strong insisted.

"Good. I want to know everything that happens with O'Grady at the camp. And Martin, you keep a close eye on his friend there..James Danvers. Keep a distance, but offer to answer any questions he might have. Do you understand me?" Drake curtly states through his phone.

"Perfectly, sir." Strong insists. "I won't let him out of our sight this time." he replies coldly over the speaker.

"Ensure that you don't...As a new couple of recruits will be joining the program soon." Drake spuriously reinforces.

"And these will not be cadets, this time. Are we ready doctor?" Drake pines away from his phone. "Can we expect superior results this time?" Drake continues.

"Most certainly. I'll have to dose them both up with several different metaemphetamenes to counter-act the slippage." Dr. John Yates announces.

"I'll do whatever is needed, sir. Over and out." Strong replies in the phone.

"Well for the first time it feels quite good to play master of the universe." Col. Drake speaks in a forced and abrupt fashion.

"And this time there will only be the promise of more funding..The only concern thus far is in our current model for the chip." Dr. Meryl Walters brazenly declares.

"I'm not sure what you refer to. What is the concern, Meryl?" Col. Drake responds.

Two army generals enter the room. Mike Fairbanks and John Hashano. John pipes up in a more exploratory and curious tone.

"Hello there. Is this the place where we can get outfitted with high-rise transmitters that will make our Line of Sight fire become one to one during Search and Rescue missions?" John exclaims.

"I'd like to dodge bullets." Mike bursts aloud. "Or be able to fly zero-visibility missions where I can target enemy forces at will, either one does it for me." Mike sneers. "After everything O'Grady claimed this was...We'd like to get some assurances." John beams.

"Oh it's everything you have heard about, and more gentlemen. You'll be able to conduct Line of Sight, but also Seek and Destroy missions." Dr. Walters remarks.

"Most importantly, your sense of pain will be minimized to...nearly neglible levels of discomfort." Dr. Walters continues.

"And when you wake up, it will be like everything else was the dream." Dr. John Yates mockingly insinuates. "Meet the machine which will surpass your maker. Guards, strap their legs and arms into the chair. Make our guests more comfortable." Yates chides.

Two guards take John and Mike and secure them into the chairs at gun-point. They sedate them both with a large steel needle. The hydraulic circular saw begins spinning at a dizzying rate of speed, cutting into each skull with the precision of a surgeon. A flat modified microchip is then quietly locked into place through a tube.

"Be Beyond. Only You Will Win. Achieve Everything." the machine repeats.

"I always love to hear that sound of nature taking its course. Now Dr. Walters, what was this concern you so adamantly spoke earlier?" Col. Drake chastises from the control tower.

"The micro chip is not yet ready for full-service deployment...There's been a slight complication." Meryl states as she nods towards Gen. Marvin Strick.

"The current **chip** is unable to withstand high-intensity shock waves from blasts. Such as chopper blasts. But a break through is soon to come in this arena. **Professor Gavin Strick** will be able to modify the chip for external combat." Marvin stated.

"Professor, you say? I thought Gavin Strick was killed.." Col. Drake replied.

"Oh no, he's very much alive. In fact his role is now larger than life...in the coming transition to our **school** of thought." Marvin drly retorted.

"Colonel, I believe this development will interest you greatly." Walters bemuses.

"I suppose I may need to buy that lab on the second floor after all." Yates declares.

~ Revert to the ROTC training camp in east Chicago. The troop of new recruits prepare to pass the entrance exam. ~

"I can't believe it...I've been running for thirty minutes, my head is going to explode." Danvers winces.

 _Heeef...Puff...Huff...Wheeze... ((How can I be so tired? What did I do last night...))_

"Hey pal, you might want to move it or lose it." O'Grady laughs as he shoves Danvers out of the way during his sixth full run of the obstacle course. This is the fifth time in a row he has passed his partner James, who has not managed to complete it once.

"I looked at the scores and that's...That's impossible for O'Grady to get that good." Danvers cooly reassures himself. "Something here is off, off with this whole thing." Danvers insists. ((Could it be what Steve taught him is real? The chips...?))

Right now, all officer Danvers could think about was finishing the course. Then the chopper training. If a chip was the cause of all this, maybe he'd have to get the shot too. He couldn't imagine how anything in the last twenty-four hours made sense. It was now more obvious than before that O'Grady was drugged. Whether a chip ever existed or not, it was impossible for any normal officer to have done as well as he did.

"Not normal...((Huff)) Got to move...Going to lose my place in the exam...I'll come in tenth position at this rate." Danvers snapped to himself. "Got to hurry." he winced.

Up ahead, O'Grady hopped into an attack chopper. Usually it took more than six separate classes before a recruit would even board a chopper. But here was O'Grady in the pilot seat the same day, firing off live rounds of sniper fire. He had toasted over 30,000 points in the target sessions. No one had ever seen anything like this before. But most people at the base were not sure that they desired to, either.

"I can't even surpass 5000 points, O'Grady...What the hell do they have you on!?" his colleague officer Sanders shouted.

"Magic sauce, my good friend. We all deserve a dose of magic sauce in our lives. After the trials are over, I invite you to take a taste of my magic sauce for yourselves." O'Grady boasted with a dead-locked sneer.

"Man after all of that, I think I'd take anything you ask!" Sanders retorted.

"After all of that effort... (Pant) I think I'd take some as well." Danvers stated.

Steve watches from outside the base with a hint of concern. Explosions are heard all the way across the street.

"((Sigh)) I tried to tell you, James. He's not your _friend_ anymore." Steve muttered.

"James, he's not your friend! HE WAS MICRO-CHIPPED! That isn't really O'Grady!" Steve yelled almost certain that Danvers heard his faint voice over the shouts.

"He's not my friend..? Maybe that guy was right...Who is he now?" Danvers quietly remarked to himself. "If I don't trust him..who can I trust?" James continued.

~ Two miles away from the East Heights, the Fair Ground lights are dimly lit. It's seven o'clock in the morning. Steve had rushed away from the army camp to get to the fair as fast as he could. Finally he pulled in to the empty lot where Rachel awaits.~

"Rachel...Rachel! I'm sorry...It's been a really long night. (Sigh) I didn't keep my promise about taking you to the fair this time...Because I think..." Steve studders.

"(Yawn) You didn't even call Steve, gddamn...And...you never came!" Rachel chides.

"What is it Steve? You look concerned..I was here all night waiting for you. What is wrong? Why didn't you ever show up?! We planned this for a year." Rachel shouted.

"I think something has followed us, all of us...I think that Lindsay was right." Steve said in a hesitant unassuming look.

"But...blue ribbons have been dead for years...She was probably just seeing things.." Rachel stated reassuringly.

"No Rachel...She wasn't..It was not a blue ribbon...I'm certain it was something else...the experiments they did Rachel? They are continuing...It's all still going on." Steve said concerned.

"Most importantly...I can tell it has to do with Allen, and I just don't like it." Steve remarked brazenly.

"If that's true...maybe it is a copycat gang...I mean, who could bring that here!?" Rachel stated.

"It's not as if they brought it here, Rachel...I think it's more like...What did they bring forward that was already here? If they've been here all along, it makes sense..." Steve stated.

"I'm not paranoid...I just know the disturbing behavior is happening again Rachel. I have to get to the source of it. I have to stop it...for Allen's sake." Steve exclaimed.

"If any of it's true, and you ain't paranoid...Then I'll help you. Lets get out of here." Rachel said as they both hopped in the car. "It's time for answers!" Rachel yelled.


End file.
